Are you interested in working with us?
PhD Student Inquiries
If you are interested in applying for a PhD position for future semesters, please apply through the central Duke graduate admissions portal and mention Dr. Jessilyn Dunn’s name in your application. Then, fill out the BIG IDEAs Lab Contact Form.
Thank you!
Note for Emailing Dr. Dunn:
If you choose to email Dr. Dunn (Subject line should be “[Prospective PhD YYYY] FirstName LastName PreviousUniversity”), please:
- Read at least a few publications from our lab,
- Clearly explain how your interests align with our lab’s research,
- Attach your CV and unofficial transcript.
While Dr. Dunn cannot guarantee a response, following the guidelines above increases the chance. Thank you for your understanding.
Volunteer Inquiries
Note that at this time, we are no longer accepting Fall 2026 research volunteers.
If you are interested in a volunteer opportunity for Spring 2027, please fill out the BIG IDEAs Lab Contact Form between October 25th – November 25th, 2026.
*Please understand that Dr. Dunn cannot guarantee a response if you email her directly. We will do our best to reach out to you via our lab email after you fill out our Contact Form.
Thank you!
Note for Duke Masters Students:
- BME Masters students who are interested in research must be officially enrolled in an Internship or Independent Study course in order to join our lab. Acceptable courses are: BME 789, 791 or 792.
- Non-BME Masters students must reach out to their program director about individual program requirements for being involved in a BME research lab, which may or may not require enrollment in an internship or independent study course.
Note for High School Students:
- Are you a current student at NCSSM? If so, please apply to the NCSSM Mentorship Program and mention Dr. Jessilyn Dunn’s name in your application.
- Are you a current student at a different high school in North Carolina? Please feel free to apply to the Duke Research in Engineering Program and mention Dr. Jessilyn Dunn’s name in your application.
- Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate high school volunteers outside of the above two programs.
Postdoc Inquiries
If you are interested in a postdoc position, please fill out the BIG IDEAs Lab Contact Form.
Thank you!
Collaborator Inquiries
Please fill out the BIG IDEAs Lab Contact Form.
Thank you!
Funder/Support Inquiries
Please fill out the BIG IDEAs Lab Contact Form. You can also check out the Support Us page for more information about donating directly to our lab.
Thank you!
